


'Til Death Do Us Part

by amenokuma (orphan_account)



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-04
Updated: 2013-04-07
Packaged: 2017-12-07 11:32:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/748062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/amenokuma
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having all eternity at your disposal can have its ups and downs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They had been running now for what felt like forever, even though the concept of eternity was lost on beings such as they. A nobleman, who was commonly referred to as the Earl, and his clan were relentlessly pursuing them to obtain the secret of their immortality, and as much as they disliked it there was safety in numbers rather than going it alone.

They had always been the solitary types and never got along whenever they crossed paths, but this was a matter of survival and they set their differences aside to battle this common enemy.

Allen Walker, the ever polite gentleman, was currently walking beside Kanda Yuu, his antisocial partner in time, down the main street of a bustling English city in broad daylight. No one would even begin to suspect their true nature by this very fact, for legend had it that their kind had an aversion to sunlight.

It was those same legends that had become such a thorn in their side, driving people to insane measures to hunt them and reap the benefits of their blood which was the source of their endless lives.

Those damnable legends. It was the one thing they both agreed on. What foolishness these pathetic humans came up with to lessen the fear of the inevitable. Fry them in the sun until they became weak enough to take advantage of. Stakes through the heart. Off with their heads.

If the human race only knew that Allen and Kanda's skin, though soft to the touch, was as hard as diamonds, and that there was only one way to pierce it to get at the precious blood. But there was no way in hell they were about to give up that secret for their very existence depended on it.

They stopped to pick up a newspaper and then entered a fine hotel that offered a tea room to the residents. Another of the ridiculous legends was that they had an aversion to food. They could eat or drink whatever they chose but nothing satisfied their thirst quite like blood did. Of course, human blood was inferior to theirs but it was still better than an animal's.

Allen read the newspaper waiting for their tea and even after it arrived he continued on until his eyes widened.

"Well, it looks like we won't be going to London," and he sighed.

Kanda looked at him as he sipped his tea, which he wished was Japanese tea, but this was all they had here so he put up with it.

Allen folded the paper and handed it to him and as Kanda read the article his eyes narrowed.

"Jack the Ripper, huh? So they're trying to blame this all on one person. Idiots…they don't know what they're dealing with," and he handed the paper back to Allen.

"That clan seems to be taking their frustrations out on the local populace. And I _so_ wanted to go to London."

"Your sense of justice kicking in, Moyashi?"

"Well, it wouldn't be fair to place the blame on some poor sap when they're never going to catch the real culprits. Though I don't doubt there'll probably be some copycat murders as a result of this. People will use anything as an excuse to act out their sick fantasies. I'm not that foolish to walk right into the lion's den, but I really wanted to get a new suit made. These clothes are starting to show their wear...and I wish you'd stop calling me that. I look nothing like a beansprout."

"Oh, get off your high horse and cut out the proper gentleman act. Our clothes are still serviceable, and I'll damn well call you whatever I like," Kanda grumped back at him and finished the rest of his tea in silence as Allen muttered a barely audible "BaKanda" and continued to order from the menu until he was satisfied.

When he was done they left to go to the room they'd taken there for the rest of the evening. That was another myth debunked. They had no need to go dig themselves a hole and bury themselves under the dirt, or end up in some nasty, dank crypt underground to sleep in a stuffy coffin. Where did people come up with this stuff?

They surrounded themselves with luxury whenever the chance arose ever since this clan had started to hunt them in earnest. They had spent the better part of the last couple of days in the forest nearby checking the city out for any signs of their pursuers but when everything seemed to be normal they came into the city and were more than ready to relax.

They removed their shoes when they got to the room and Kanda went off to the washroom to clean up. When he emerged Allen was standing in front of the window looking out over the city as little lights began to pop up here and there, the people readying themselves for the night's activities.

He sighed and murmured, "I'm thirsty," and Kanda knew where this was going.

"So, go hunt then."

"I could…but I'm also tired."

"We don't get tired, Moyashi. At least not in the physical sense," and Allen looked over his shoulder at Kanda's remark, a feral grin beginning to form. He turned completely around and as he walked toward Kanda he unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it to the floor.

"I know that and you know _exactly_ what I mean, BaKanda. Their blood will tide me over but it doesn't completely allay my thirst. I want _you_. I _need_ you. We've already mixed our blood many times and it makes us stronger each time we do it. We'll need every weapon we can get if those bastards catch up to us."

"Need? Want? What are we, Allen? Friends? Lovers?"

"Hardly. I don't love you. I don't even like you but we both need this," and when Kanda didn't resist Allen removed his shirt and slid his hands up over the smooth, bare chest as his tongue followed suit stopping over Kanda's nipple before biting down on it which drew a drop of blood that Allen licked up greedily. Yes, the only thing that could pierce that diamond-hard skin of their's was their teeth.

He moved his hands up Kanda's chest and slipped them around his neck, pulling him down as his tongue glided over the skin upwards. His hands mingled with Kanda's hair and tugged his head over to the side when his mouth reached his neck, licking it lavishly, inhaling Kanda's delicious scent, before finally breaking the skin and sinking his teeth in deeply and the blood rushed into his mouth.

Allen gulped it down, consumed with the sensation of this rich liquid as it filled his body with warmth and he shuddered in delight. This was infinitely better than any of the sex they'd indulged in. There was just no comparison and Allen continued to suck on Kanda's neck as long as he dared to.

Kanda, too, was becoming carried away in the taking of his blood which had a wholly different feel to it, this surrendering of the self completely to the other. This was the _only_ time he would admit to enjoying this feeling. As Allen sucked away a light-headedness began to overcome him so he ran his hands down Allen's back and under his ass, lifting him off the floor before moving over to sit on the edge of the bed, Allen adjusting himself to straddle him on his lap.

Kanda's hand reached up and grasped Allen's hair, pulling back his head, the blood still on his lips which dripped down over his chin and onto Kanda's chest. Allen was in a daze from the blood coursing through his body and Kanda's eyes lit up with a wild look before he jerked Allen's head to the side and mercilessly bit down on his neck, the blood spurting over his tongue.

Allen moaned with pleasure as he let Kanda have his turn drinking in the sweet nectar that only they were privy to. Kanda felt an ache, an overwhelming desire, but he restrained himself from draining his partner dry. Allen was right. They needed each other, for if one were to die, if that was even possible, the other would be left with no secondary source of the life-sustaining blood and might just wither away eventually.

When Kanda felt Allen begin to slump against him he pulled back, licking the blood from his lips, and moved them back onto the bed until they were lying down with Allen sprawled limply on top of him. He extracted himself from underneath Allen and pulled the blanket on top of them. Kanda knew their keen senses would alert them to any approaching danger so he felt comfortable letting himself fall asleep along with Allen who had already drifted off.

_Allen was walking alongside a recently emptied reservoir. There were dead fish everywhere and he covered his nose and mouth to block out the stink that permeated the air. Then he noticed a few fish still twitching and gasping and his body suddenly felt very heavy. His every movement became increasingly difficult and there was a great weight bearing down on him, forcing him to his knees. He uncovered his face, gasping like the fish, trying to suck in air, feeling like he was drowning. Panic raced through his body, his heart thundering in his ears until with great effort he managed to take in a huge breath and…_

His eyes shot open. He was still gasping and his heart was pounding incessantly. He looked to the side and Kanda was awake, propped up on his arm just staring at him.

"Nightmare?"

"Mm-hmm…" Allen nodded and tried to calm his breathing before speaking any further.

He opened and closed his mouth several times but was having trouble focusing his thoughts as he began to relate the dream to Kanda. "…and then I couldn't move or breath like those fish, my life was slowly being sucked away. It felt like I was suffocating, it was so…oppressive I guess would be the word, but much more than that. I…just don't know…"

"Words are overrated...and as far as what the dream could mean, we're being chased by a group that's more dangerous than either of us has ever come across."

Kanda could see that Allen was still visibly shaken by this dream so he went on. "The words you said before, about how you didn't like or love me. None of that matters when you're as old as we are. We passed that point a long time ago."

Allen looked at Kanda with a quizzical expression and then he smiled genuinely.

"Kanda, are you trying to comfort me?"

"Stop being so full of yourself, Moyashi. I just need both of us to be completely on our toes, given our situation," and he lay down and turned his back to Allen whose smile had broadened into a grin.

Allen turned over and as they lay back to back each was deep in thought. Kanda was right. Words couldn't even begin to define a relationship as complicated as theirs. He'd been driven to say what he'd said earlier by a bloodlust only Kanda was capable of bringing out in him.

Damn the man and his ability to be so intuitive about what they really were to each other. Even though he could be so aggravating at times, it's what made life so interesting with him.

As for Kanda, he'd had nightmares also, but Allen was always more expressive than he would ever be. It was only natural that they'd both be tormented in their sleep when their guard was down. But Allen's expressiveness was by no means weakness. Even if he was such an irritating little shit at times, Allen Walker was anything _but_ weak and that made Kanda glad, seeing as how they had become so mutually dependent.

Right before falling asleep they were both thinking that maybe the Earl's coming wasn't such a bad thing. It'd made them realize, after all, how much they _didn't_ hate each other.


	2. Chapter 2

In the morning after they had breakfast Allen and Kanda boarded a train heading north wanting to move as far from London as they could. By mid-afternoon they arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland.

After finding a good hotel to stay at they wandered the city but Kanda was in such a dark mood that Allen finally asked what was bothering him.

"We need to be deciding our next move," and when Allen glanced up at him with a frown he said, "We need to keep moving. Not dawdling around the city like a couple of tourists. Who knows when they'll get wind of where we've gone to?" But when Kanda looked back at Allen he saw that the man had already been distracted by a large park off to the side and had gone off in that direction. Sighing to himself he wondered if he really needed to be sticking with Allen. He preferred to go where he wanted, when he wanted, but now everything was up for a debate before they could do anything. He walked over to stand beside Allen and looked out over the green space.

"Say, Kanda, have you ever played golf?"

"Golf? No…Oh no, no way in hell. We are _not_ doing that."

"Why not? It looks like it'd be fun."

"What's the hell's so much fun about smacking a little ball around and then having to walk forever to find the damn thing?!"

"C'mon, just this once. The course looks so beautiful and we're outside and we really need a break. So let's do this, okay?"

"You will _owe_ me for this, Moyashi."

"Fine, fine. Let's just play already."

A few hours (and many curses from Kanda) later they finished the game and were walking back to the hotel. Allen was practically drooling thinking about all the food he was looking forward to.

Kanda was in an even fouler mood than before. "That's all you ever think about, isn't it? Have you been eating your way through the centuries?"

"Mm…pretty much, I guess. Yeah, I believe I have, and I enjoyed every morsel of it," and Allen grinned up at a thoroughly disgruntled Kanda. They entered the tea room provided by the hotel and Allen proceeded to help himself to scones, Scottish crumpets and other cakes while Kanda stuck to his usual, not really interested in all the fancy, sweet things that made Allen so happy.

As evening rolled around, though, Allen began to get a gleam in his eye as he was gazing out the window. Kanda knew that look and smirked back at him and they got up and left the hotel to go their separate ways for the time being. It was 'hunting' time and Kanda, in particular, was feeling ravenous. Yes, time to see what this city _truly_ had to offer in the way of delicacies.

Kanda preferred to stalk his prey through the back alleys. He was as silent as a cat as he crept up to his chosen victim, scaring them silly when they realized he was there, and then he'd just watch them run, amusing himself before giving chase. He was strong and fast and whoever had caught his eye never had a chance in hell of eluding him. He cut them off when he'd had enough fun and slam them against the wall, wrenching their head to the side before sinking his teeth into their soft flesh and sucking them dry within minutes.

They were never as tasty as Allen so he was always left with a desire for more. He'd chuck the body in an out-of-the-way place so it wouldn't be discovered for some time, giving it a chance to begin decomposing, and go off in search of his next target.

Allen, on the other hand, liked to play with his prey in a different manner. He took a more refined approach, he liked to think, and ingratiated himself into the company of people at a pub or local outdoor gathering. He'd take them up on invites to parties later in the evening and then single out his victims, finishing them off before moving on, always being careful to dispose of the bodies in such a manner that it would be days before anyone found them.

But sometimes he was impatient and wanted instant gratification so he'd go check out the women and men who prostituted themselves for a mere pittance. He had more than enough money to convince whoever he picked out that he was ready for a good time and these people were considered disposable by society anyway so wherever he ended up with them he didn't even have to bother with the clean up.

By the time Allen got back to the hotel it was early in the morning most times. Usually Kanda would already be there because he didn't waste as much time on the hunt as Allen did. This time, however, Kanda wasn't back yet so Allen sunk into a chair in the corner and closed his eyes, not even taking the time to wash up.

When he opened his eyes Kanda was leaning over him, his hands on top of Allen's on the armrests of the chair. The minute he'd entered the room the smell of blood had enticed him and he hadn't bothered to clean himself up either.

"You're still a bit messy. You're never as meticulous when you do the hookers," and Kanda tsked at him, his long hair dangling in front of Allen.

Allen took hold of that hair and pulled Kanda to him, pressing his lips against Kanda's mouth and then took a bite, sucking at the wound. Kanda closed his eyes, letting his senses revel in the scent of Allen's last kill which still lingered on him. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked at Allen's lips before moving down to the neck and slowly started to drink.

Allen lifted Kanda's hand and turned it so that the wrist was exposed, running his lips over it before breaking the skin, savoring the treat that flowed into his mouth.

Neither felt the need to rush things, unlike last time, being mostly sated from the night's hunt, and they just enjoyed the ancient essence at their leisure. Sensing when the other had had enough they pulled away and Allen relaxed deeper into the chair while Kanda sat down cross-legged on the floor next to him.

"Thanks for the after-dinner mint," Allen purred.

"It's always nice to cleanse the palate," Kanda murmured back.

Silence fell between them, no sound but the clock ticking in the background. Then Kanda said, "Remember what I was talking about earlier?"

"Which was…"

"About deciding our next move."

"You have a plan in mind?"

"Yeah…let's leave this country altogether. Word on the street always moves faster than what's in the newspapers and on my way back here I was hearing rumours of numerous killings. From the location of the incidents it seems that they're moving slowly north."

"They're tracking us."

Yes, so we need to leave this place now and get as far away as possible."

"But where to?"

"Japan."

"So you'll have the home advantage. Makes sense. I know this country inside and out but it seems we've exhausted our options here."

"We'll need to take the train to Liverpool first and then we can book passage on a ship."

"I'll need new travel clothes and this city is large enough to have some good shops so I'll take care of that in the morning. You should get something, too."

"No thanks. I don't want to be lugging around any more than necessary, but at least when we get there I'll finally be able to get some decent tea."

Allen smiled at that and got up to walk to the washroom, needing to clean off the smells from this evening's hunt. Kanda waited until he was done and then went to do the same while Allen crawled into bed for a few hours rest before they needed to head out once more. When Kanda came to the bed Allen moved over, lifting the covers for him, and Kanda pulled it down over them and rolled onto his side.

They would be running yet again, but with every move they had become increasingly more comfortable around each other. Neither had imagined over the long span of their years that this would've ever been possible.


	3. Chapter 3

When Allen had finished his shopping the next day they headed to Liverpool on the train, and boarded a passenger ship bound for Hong Kong, via the Suez Canal. Upon arrival they arranged passage on another ship for the last leg of their journey to Japan which docked at Yokohama's port in Tokyo Bay, finally reaching their destination a couple of months after leaving England.

After collecting their luggage Kanda said, "We need to get away from this port and move further inland. There's too much going on here, too many people and places for the enemy to hide. Let's go find the train station."

Allen sighed. "Still more traveling?"

"What's the matter, Moyashi? Getting tired?" Kanda smirked.

"But we don't get tired, BaKanda. At least not in the physical sense." Allen grinned back.

"Smart-ass."

So they found themselves on a train bound for the interior of the island nation. This was the Meiji Era, a time of great development since the Restoration had happened not that long ago. After being closed off for over 250 years Japan had finally opened itself up to the rest of the world. The mix of east and west was apparent everywhere they went and their western mode of dress was not really out of place.

"Any place in particular we're heading to?" Allen asked.

"I'm more familiar with the central part of this country. First, we need to find a good inn. They've been building them near railway stations so that shouldn't be a problem." Kanda gazed out the window at the scenery rolling by.

"Sekigahara isn't too far from here if I recall correctly. Quite the battle, so fierce and brutal. The screams of the dying, and the severed heads…" His voice trailed off and he had an almost wistful look in his eyes.

"Reminds me of the Battle of Agincourt. The mud and the blood, all those bodies...I almost fainted from the sheer beauty of it."

They lapsed into silently reliving past glories as the train continued to chug along.

When Kanda decided on their next stop Allen asked, "Do you have a certain reason for getting off here?"

"Like I said, there should be plenty of options for inns but around this area there used to be a swordsmith shop. Many of them have gone out of business since the sword ban laws were put into place but I'm hoping this one's still here because I need to get a sword."

"A weapon for a samurai, huh."

"I was never a samurai."

"And I was never a soldier. We were just there for the spoils of war, right?"

Kanda gave Allen a chilling smile and then he said, "So, are you going to outfit yourself also?"

"I'm pretty confident in my fighting abilities without a weapon. They tend to cramp my style, so I think I'll be just fine."

"Hand-to-hand combat, huh. Whatever suits you. I have to say I agree with the up-close-and-personal approach. The sword extends my reach but I prefer looking into my opponent's eyes while the life slowly drains from their body. Makes the kill that much more satisfying."

"Well, aren't we the cold-blooded one."

"Same goes for you, asshole."

They settled on a place to stay and after making several inquiries about the town Kanda was informed that yes, the place was still in business, although they made mostly cutlery and tools these days.

As they were walking to the shop Kanda said, "I hope they have something I can readily use," and when Allen looked over at him he added, "It can take weeks or even longer to forge a blade. We don't have a whole lot of time to spend waiting."

When they reached the shop Kanda muttered, "It looks a little different but this is definitely the place." They entered and were greeted by the owner. Allen stayed back by the doorway, leaning up against the wall while Kanda spoke to the man in Japanese for a few minutes and then he looked back over his shoulder at Allen and nodded and Allen followed him into another room. There were numerous swords on a rack which was mounted on the wall and Kanda walked over to them, his eyes narrowing as he looked at each one carefully.

Then he touched one and the owner took it down and handed it to Kanda. His expression softened as he ran his hand along the scabbard up to the hilt which he grasped and slowly drew the sword out, holding it out in front of him. He turned it from side to side, viewing it at different angles, and then lowered it. With a quick flicking motion of the wrist the sword swished back and forth before he smoothly replaced it in the scabbard.

Kanda handed the sword back to the owner and spoke with him again for a much longer time. When it seemed they had reached an agreement they all went back to the front of the shop where Kanda paid for the sword. Then he turned on his heel and motioned for Allen and they left.

As they were walking back to the inn Allen asked, "Why did you leave the sword there?"

"He'll keep it safe and I didn't want to be bothered with the hassle of carrying it around before we leave again."

"So what did you talk with him about?"

"At first he thought I was a foreigner of Asian descent and he was concerned if I was aware of the ban on carrying swords. I told him I was and that I was only interested in purchasing a sword for ornamental purposes, to hang over my mantelpiece. He was reluctant at first but still agreed to show me what was available.

But after I picked that sword in particular he seemed to change his mind, and afterwards he told me all about its history. It was the last sword to be forged by their old Master before he passed away. He had named it Mugen and told them that it was meant for one person only. I guess I passed the test," and Kanda smirked back at Allen.

"You know, if I didn't know you better, with the way you looked at it and touched it, I could almost swear you were in love," and Allen chuckled.

"Heh, with a sword that's possible. People are another thing altogether."

"So, am I going to get fed anytime soon before I die of hunger?"

"Already taken care of. I placed the order for dinner at the inn, and I don't think you'll be disappointed," Kanda smugly replied. "But first let's get a bath."

"Ah, yes, that sounds good. Wash off the dust of the road!" and they continued on to the inn.

After using the bath Allen and Kanda waited in their room for their meal to be served. The inn's staff arrived and laid out their food and then left them to enjoy it in peace. Allen's eyes were wide with delight at all the different dishes he had never seen before and he eagerly began sampling everything. Kanda merely sighed and started in on his own food.

When they were finished they sat drinking sake, listening to the sounds of the waterfall in the outdoor baths, and Allen was lounging next to the window when he heard Kanda say, "Time to pay up, Moyashi."

"For what?"

"I told you that you'd owe me."

"Oh…that," as realization dawned on him. "It was just a round of golf."

"Then you can pay me back with a round of sex," Kanda smirked as he began to crawl across the floor on all fours towards Allen, looking every inch the deadly predator he was.

Allen shivered with excitement as he watched Kanda approach. When Kanda reached him he grasped a handful of Allen's hair, pulling him closer, and barely breathed against his ear, "On your knees," before turning Allen over and pushing him to the floor, stripping him of his yukata in one swift move.

He shed his own and then Kanda ran his hands over Allen's buttocks and up his back, around to the front, and pinched his nipples, listening all the while to the sounds of pleasure emanating from Allen's mouth. He moved one of his hands to Allen's cock and began stroking it. He stroked himself a little before rubbing it against Allen's ass, causing Allen to moan even more. But it was his fingers, not his cock, that he slid inside and he moved them around making Allen squirm, wanting more.

"C'mon, Moyashi," Kanda growled as he continued to fondle Allen's erection. "You can get harder than that."

"Then give me some blood, damnit!"

Kanda stopped stroking and flipped Allen over, his lips ghosting over Allen's before offering his neck which Allen latched onto immediately, sucking deeply in his growing madness.

Kanda began stroking him again and then whispered, "Yes…that's it. That's much better."

Allen could feel Kanda's cock moving up against him again and he gripped Kanda's hair and pulled his head away, giving him a lustful look. "Oh no you don't. First you suck me, then you get to fuck me."

Kanda's eyes took on a nasty glint. "If you insist," he hissed.

Sliding down Allen's body Kanda peered up at him, his eyes like slits, and then he bared his teeth, scraping them along Allen's cock as he took him in all the way down to the base and then back up again. Allen was digging his heels into the floor and grimacing with the pain and pleasure. He tried shoving his hips up into Kanda's mouth but was held down by strong hands.

Not giving up just yet Allen worked his fingers through Kanda's hair and grabbed his head, pushing it, forcing his cock all the way down Kanda's throat and Kanda reacted by digging his nails into Allen's hands which made Allen release him as he came up spluttering.

"You little shit!"

"I need more! It's not enough!" Allen gasped.

"You want more?! Then keep your fucking hands off me!" And Kanda went down on Allen again, sucking and scraping enough to draw blood which he hungrily swallowed. When he squeezed Allen's balls it made Allen jump.

"Ah…Fuck…" and the indecent noises coming from Allen's mouth were practically inhuman. He finally succeeded in thrusting his hips upward as he reached his limit and came in Kanda's mouth, causing the dark-haired man to choke on the unexpected force of the release.

Kanda glared at Allen as he came up. "Now it's my turn and I need blood."

Allen was still in a hazy high and didn't really give a damn what Kanda wanted, but when Kanda sunk his teeth into Allen's upper thigh and began drawing the blood out Allen's mind went blank with the euphoria it was causing.

As Kanda was sucking away he began stroking himself again until he was satisfied with how hard he was getting. He stopped drinking the blood and moved between Allen's legs, spreading them as wide as he could, not really caring if this was causing any pain.

Kanda dug his fingers inside Allen, loosening him up, and then laid into him forcefully. Allen groaned as Kanda entered him and lay slack on the floor, letting the man have his way. Kanda was fucking Allen as hard as he could and enjoying it immensely, when he noticed that Allen had an almost desperate look in his eyes…and something deep inside Kanda snapped.

 _'What was that?'_  he thought as he leaned over Allen and let the white-haired fool kiss him, but then Kanda was kissing him back as he continued to push into Allen, Allen's hands were on his ass encouraging him, both of them grinding their bodies together, until Kanda let himself come and his thrusting slowed down in the aftermath of his climax.

Allen shifted as Kanda lay over him, their panting the only sounds in the room other than the waterfall which flowed on endlessly. Eventually they got up, and instead of having the inn's staff lay out their futons for them they just did it themselves, stretching out on top of them to nod off for the rest of the evening.


	4. Chapter 4

When Allen woke it was mid-morning and Kanda was already up. The inn's staff had cleared away last night's meal and set out a breakfast for Kanda. He was sitting, thoroughly enjoying his tea, when he noticed Allen looking at him. He got up and left the room to speak to the staff and when he returned they followed not long after with breakfast for Allen also.

Allen climbed out of the futon, donned his yukata and sat down to dig into his meal. This Japanese food was quite good he'd decided and when he went to sip his tea he could understand why Kanda loved it so much. Kanda seemed to be in a much calmer state right now so Allen ventured a question.

"Do you ever grow tired of being able to live forever?"

Kanda quirked an eyebrow at him and shook his head. "Such thoughts are useless. This is the way we are and it's never going to change so we might as well accept it and make the best of it."

Allen stared out the window for a while before answering. "I don't know. Yes, it seems as if it will never change, but sometimes I feel as if I'm starting to fade away." Allen sighed. "You're right, thinking about this is not getting me anywhere."

"We have more pressing matters to think about right now so just try to keep focused." But the truth was that Kanda _had_ been thinking while he watched Allen sleeping…about what had happened last night. How he'd felt the clenching of a heart he didn't even think he had. That lost look in Allen's eyes, how it made him feel hollow and empty inside, like all of eternal time was draining him dry like his victims. It was _not_ something he wanted to think about but he thought he could understand what Allen was getting at.

"Is that nightmare bothering you again?"

"Oh…yeah, I guess it is. I just thought you might understand."

"Actually, I do understand. In fact, I'm the _only_ one who could understand you, and I think it works the other way around, too."

Allen chuckled. "How long has it taken for us to get to this point? I remember a time when we were actually trying to kill each other."

"Hmph. We were just young and stupid."

"Riiiight…and now we're older and wiser," and Kanda shot Allen a scowl. "So, where do we go from here? Any ideas?"

"Hokkaido."

"The big island north of here?"

"Yeah, it's less populated, more rural and has a lot of forests which will work in our favor."

"Hmm…sounds perfect, but could we stay here for at least another day? I think it would do us some good to rest for a bit." Allen was hoping Kanda would agree since he was feeling an aura of contentment emanating from the man.

Kanda admitted to himself that it did sound good to stay here awhile if they could get away with it. "Fine…but the second we sense anything…"

"We are out of here," Allen finished for him.

"But that may already be too late."

"Then we'll deal with it, okay?"

Kanda grimaced but nodded his assent. It worked out that they ended up spending two more days at the inn, just letting themselves relax, taking advantage of the good food and the soothing bath the place offered. On the third day, however…

"We need to leave. _Now._ "

"Yes, they're getting closer so let's go pick up your sword."

They gathered their belongings, settled their bill, stopped by the swordsmith and then began the long trek up north. Upon reaching the northern-most tip of the main island they crossed over Tsugaru Strait and entered Hokkaido.

The plan was to make their presence known to draw out the enemy so they could ascertain just what they were up against. They moved openly from town to town in a gradual direction away from most of civilization until their senses were tingling almost constantly.

"They're near."

"Mm-hmm…Only two it seems."

"Time to stop running, Moyashi. Let's take the fight to them."

"Yes…time to stalk our prey."

Time to turn it all around so that the hunted became the hunters. This was their specialty, after all. They led their pursuers into a nearby forest and then backtracked around behind them, following quietly, not even disturbing a single twig on the forest floor. When they caught up they hid to appraise the situation.

Kanda spoke up first. "I'll take the hulk."

"It figures you'd make me fight the woman, but I guess a pretty lady is better any day compared to that ugly mug you'll have to be looking at." Allen snickered.

"Shut up," Kanda spit back. "Let's just get the job done." He headed off to the right and Allen quickly moved left, both of them closing in on their intended targets.

Allen was the first to emerge from undercover. He sauntered up behind the woman who whirled around in surprise, but she quickly fell into a battle stance as she sized up her opponent. She had a casual look on her face as she unhooked a whip from her belt and flicked it off to the side, letting it open up fully.

"Oh, I like it when they're feisty," Allen grinned cruelly at her. "Come on now, let's see what you've got."

The whip cracked and Allen jumped, grabbing onto a tree branch and swung himself around to land on it before he heard the whip crack again and just barely leapt off the branch in time as the whip snapped around the branch, breaking it, pulling it to the ground. He dodged left and right as she continued to fling it out at him. He had to give her credit. She was cold and calculating in her assault but Allen was as light on his feet as the very air he spun through.

When he decided he'd had enough fun playing with her he let the whip hit. It wrapped around his torso and she quickly pulled on it hoping to drag him closer, which was just what he wanted. He used the momentum of the pull to flip himself up and over her, landing behind the woman. Moving fast before she could turn around he slid one arm around her neck in a stranglehold and used his other hand to grab onto the whip hand, immobilizing her completely before she could retaliate. Then with a quick jerk he snapped her neck to the side and she went limp immediately, dead in his arms.

Allen let her body drop to the ground with a thud, eyeing her impassively and then unwound the whip and threw it on top of her. He looked up as the sounds of the other battle reached his ears and began to walk towards where Kanda was taking on his foe.

Kanda had wasted no time with talk and had attacked head-on. The man wore a light armor over most of his body and he repeatedly thwarted Kanda's attempts to strike at a vulnerable area. Even when sword did meet flesh and blood flowed he seemed unfazed, as if pain was nothing to him.

Kanda backed off and reassessed his options. He needed to get in close. All this brut had been doing so far was defending. Kanda wanted to make him go on the offensive, to make his blood boil with anger and lose all sense of reason. Then he would be easy to take down. So Kanda did the one thing he never usually did in a fight. He talked. He insulted the man's master and all his clan, calling them every filthy name he could possibly think of, and it worked.

The beast of a man charged at Kanda, incensed at all the obscenities. He struck at Kanda but hit nothing but empty ground, causing dirt to fly up in all directions. The dust got in his eyes and he didn’t see Kanda falling from above until almost too late. He deflected the sword with one arm but Kanda twirled in mid-air, using the force of the spin to drive Mugen through the flesh and bone of the man's neck and the head went soaring through the air, bounced against a tree trunk, hit the ground and rolled to a stop.

Allen arrived just in time to see the head flying off and the blood spurting from the decapitated body before it crashed to the ground.

Kanda flipped himself away from the bloody spray and landed silently, flicked the blood from his sword and sheathed it. He turned to see Allen grinning at him and walked over to join him.

"There were only two, but if they come at us all at once we could be in for a bit of trouble."

Allen stopped grinning. "Yes, we have no idea how many of them there really are. This Earl is turning out to be quite problematic. At any rate we should leave this country before they get wind of this." Allen sighed. "Time to make more travel plans," and he turned and started to walk back towards the trees with Kanda following close behind, leaving the bodies as they were, out in the open to rot or be devoured by the natural predators of the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a cool, sunny day as Allen and Kanda sat in the garden drinking their tea. They had sailed from Japan as soon as possible after their last fight, crossed the Pacific Ocean and landed in California. After wandering around San Francisco they'd stopped at what was called a Japanese Village and were enjoying the quiet of the tea garden.

Kanda was content and Allen was feeling less restless, but he really wished he could have some more of the sweets that had been served with their tea. He'd been eyeing Kanda's cookies that were still sitting on his plate, having barely been touched.

Kanda was looking out of the corner of his eye, fully aware of Allen's obvious desire and this was giving him a perverse sort of pleasure, not about to offer anything.

Allen finally broke down and asked, "Are you going to eat those?" pointing at the sweets.

"Help yourself," and Allen snatched them up. "Too sweet for my liking anyway. They must have altered the recipe to appeal to Western tastes."

"Speaking of the West, this America is so vast from what I can gather that the possibilities seem endless as far as where we can go without having to cross any more oceans."

"Well, I for one would be more than happy not to have to spend months on another ship any time soon," and Kanda scowled at the thought of being stuck on a boat with nothing else to do.

"We can go so many places from here. To the east coast, or north to Canada, south to Mexico or all the way down through South America. So, Kanda, are we sticking this out together? You think we can put up with each other for however long this'll take?"

Kanda started to laugh, then it died down to a mild chuckle. "You finally admit you're a pain in the ass, huh?" Allen glared at him but Kanda calmly went on. "Like you were saying back in Japan, we have no idea of their numbers so us staying together is our only option to guarantee our survival. I have no intention of giving up my life that easily, Moyashi."

"Me either, BaKanda, so I guess I'll just have to deal with your sorry ass, too." This brought another scowl to Kanda's face, much to Allen's delight.

When they finished with their tea they began to walk through the park and ended up down by the water, standing still, side by side, just gazing out over the expanse of ocean before them.

"How long do you think we'll have before they get here?" Allen asked in a hushed voice.

"Hopefully long enough that we can lose ourselves in this new country so they'll have one hell of a time finding us again," Kanda quietly replied.

Allen sighed. "Well, we'd better get started then, but I must say from what I've seen so far this country is looking quite beautiful," and there was a suggestive glint and excitement in his eyes as he looked at Kanda, whose long black hair was blowing in the wind. 

The sea breeze was ruffling Allen's hair, also, and the sunlight was playing off the white color making it seem even brighter than before. Kanda had to agree, from what he could see as he was looking at Allen, that it was indeed looking quite beautiful and he started to feel the lure of adventure stirring in him, too.

"Heh…let's go see what kind of trouble we can get into here."

So Kanda and Allen turned their backs to the impending danger behind them, facing the eternal unknown before them, neither of them alone anymore, which had somehow become a curiously comforting thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The above mentioned Japanese Village became what is now known today as San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden located in Golden Gate Park.
> 
> I’ve always loved reading fiction based in historical fact so this was my attempt to write something like that. I tried to research the historical aspects of this story as best I could, so any inaccuracies are entirely due to my lack of skill.


End file.
